Budget Beauty: A rundown of four liquid foundations under P750

Are you looking for a new liquid foundation to add to your stash? If your budget is limited, there's no need to shell out for top shelf brands with so many options out in the market. We recently tested out four mid-range options, all under P800! A little bit about my skin situation: I have NC-15 dry-combination skin. For this review, I prepped my skin with the In Her Element Rose Gel Serum Moisturizer before each foundation application to prevent my cheeks from developing dry patches. Let's begin the showdown!

Deborah Milano Dress Me Perfect in 01 Fair (P749 at SM Beauty)

Notable Features: Hypoallergenic, Oil-Free, Paraben-Free, SPF 15

Let’s start with the sheerest of the bunch! According to the label, Dress Me Perfect is a breathable, “self adapting foundation”. The consistency is on the runnier side of creamy, and coverage is sheer/light with a slight dewy finish. It manages to correct redness and blur hyperpigmentation. True to its claim, this light foundation has comfortable wear with a weightless, second-skin feel to it.

01 Fair is light and pink-toned but provides a passable match for me as I am able to sheer it out and layer it on as needed. There is a mild, powdery floral scent but I find it faint enough that it doesn’t distract me. Longevity is at 3.5 hours before the foundation on my T-zone fades away.

Get this if: You have mostly good skin days and prefer a no-makeup makeup kind of base.

Deborah 24 Ore Perfect Foundation in 01 Fair (P749 at SM Beauty)

Notable Features: Anti-Shine, SPF 10

After trying Dress Me Perfect, the very first thing I noticed about 24 Ore Perfect is how this line’s version of “01 Fair” is quite different from Dress Me Perfect’s take on the same shade. For one, 24 Ore’s is beige-toned and about one shade darker, so do remember to swatch it at the counter for accuracy.

24 Ore applies creamy and has a matte finish. It has buildable medium coverage that can completely conceal redness and significantly lessen the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots. There’s also the matter of 24 Ore having a stronger floral scent than its lighter counterpart, so if you're sensitive to scents, take a sniff of the swatch before making your purchase final. Wear time is at around four hours before a touch-up is required, but it stays put with minimal fading throughout the day.

Get this if: You want a matte, just-powdered look that evens out your skin tone.

Flormar was on the money when they called their creation “Perfect Coverage”. The thick, buildable, full-coverage foundie is able to completely cover most blemishes, allowing me to skip concealer altogether. With that level of pigmentation, it does feel somewhat heavier on the skin but isn't sticky. After some time, the pigment tends to settle into pores, so I would suggest using a pore-refining primer underneath. It reflects light a bit, so I would put the finish at satin.

I did encounter some trouble in dispensing the product because it has a rigid pump that doesn't allow for half-pump increments of foundation. Then again, it may just be a problem with the bottle I got.

102 Soft Beige has a strong yellow tone to it. It is 1 to 2 shades darker than my skin tone. I get 3 hours of wear from this before I notice the pigment lifting on my nose. This also has a powdery scent.

Jordana Complete Cover promises maximum coverage, good enough to allow you to get away with not applying any concealer. In actual the coverage is more medium than full; I'd say that the Flormar foundie above offers more by way of coverage.

While the Jordana Complete Cover is waaay thicker in consistency and applies with drag, it also covers less ground that way. The thickness makes it a little tricky to buff the formula into pores, so I would recommend using a wet sponge to blend everything properly. The foundation also tends to cling like crazy to potential dry patches so use only on moisturized skin!

01 Fair Beige is yellow-toned and light, disappearing on my skin. It goes up to medium coverage with a matte finish, hiding redness and slightly fading dark spots. After 4 hours, I notice that my oilier T-zone tends to look cakey upon closer inspection, while it looks completely natural on my cheeks. There is a sweet fruity scent on this that strikes me as somewhat cloying, so best check beforehand if you are comfortable with the fragrance.

Get this if: You have oily skin that can tolerate the dry formula better.

What are your face base goals? And what does your perfect foundation look like?